1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of transport carts which are used by individuals to transport groceries and other heavy objects such heavy combined cases of charcoal, soft drinks and coolers which when subsequently used are used to retain objects such as sodas and beer which are kept cool by ice.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The following fourteen (14) patents and published patent applications are the closest prior art known to the inventor.
1. U.S. Pat. No. 1,554,034 issued to David R. Richie on Sep. 15, 1925 for “Parcel Carrier” (hereafter the “Richie Patent”);
2. U.S. Pat. No. 2,514,849 issued to Francis W. Dewing on Jul. 11, 1950 for “Shopping Bag Carrier Cart” (hereafter the “Dewing Patent”);
3 U.S. Pat. No. 2,757,935 issued to Antonio Sofia on Aug. 7, 1956 for “Collapsible Shopping Cart” (hereafter the “Sofia Patent”);
4. U.S. Pat. No. 3,041,026 issued to Earl F. Wilson on Jun. 26, 1962 for “Sack Cart” (hereafter the “Wilson Patent”);
5. U.S. Pat. No. 3,276,786 issued to Ward Olander on Oct. 4, 1966 for “Nestable Shopping Cart” (hereafter the “Olander Patent”);
6. U.S. Pat. No. 4,202,521 issued to Frank M. Harding on May 13, 1980 for “Combination Bag Holder and Dolly” (hereafter the “Harding Patent”);
7. United States Design Patent No. Des. 352,145 issued to Juan Server Perez on Nov. 1, 1994 for “Shopping Cart” (hereafter the “Perez Design Patent”);
8. U.S. Pat. No. 5,660,476 issued to Pieter K. J. DeCoster on Aug. 26, 1997 for “Shopping Bag” (hereafter the “DeCoster Patent”);
9. U.S. Pat. No. 5,678,842 issued to Reginald Wayne Hook et al. on Oct. 21, 1997 for “Collapsible Cart” (hereafter the “Hook Patent”);
10. U.S. Pat. No. 6,126,183 issued to Robert E. Lensing on Oct. 3, 2000 for “Foldable Cart With Automatic Bag Control” (hereafter the “Lensing Patent”);
11. United States Published Patent Application No. 2002/0089134 to Marc Salzberger et al. on Jul. 11, 2002 for “Shopping Bag Cart” (hereafter the “Salzberger Published Patent Application”);
12. U.S. Pat. No. 7,914,015 issued to Mary Tompkins on Mar. 29, 2011 for “Wheeled Shopping Tote” (hereafter the “Tompkins Patent”);
13. U.S. Pat. No. 8,317,219 issued to Robert S. Bruce on Nov. 27, 2012 for “Wheeled Cart for Transporting Outdoor Equipment” (hereafter the “Bruce Patent”);
14. U.S. Pat. No. 8,366,124 issued to Richard Caldwell on Feb. 5, 2013 for “Convertible Beach Cart” (hereafter the “Caldwell Patent”).
The Richie Patent discloses a parcel carrier. As illustrated in the figures, the wheels are very thin and cannot support a heavy load. The patent also discloses a base member 15 which is described on Column 2 Lines 40 through 45 as a flat rectangular metal plate having its lateral edges 16 turned up at right angles to its general plane to enable the support to be folded substantially parallel to the side members. The containing item, B, is a bag. The bag is a flexible bag.
The Dewing Patent discloses a shopping bag carrier cart. In the pictures, there is disclosed a metal frame which can be folded over on its side from the figures as illustrated,
The Sophia Patent discloses a collapsible shopping cart. It has a metal frame which is folded over on itself as illustrated in FIG. 4. A wire frame bag is also part of the cart.
The Wilson Patent discloses a sack cart which again has large wheels 16 although looking at them in FIG. 2, the wheels are very thin. There is also a sack which is removably retained to the cart member and is retained by a hanger which is essentially a frame which extends forwardly from the metal shaft of the handle and to which the bag is retained.
The Olander Patent discloses a nestable shopping cart. The concept here is that one cart can be inserted and nested with another almost comparable to the carts seem in an airport, is clearly of a different configuration.
The Harding Patent discloses a combination bag holder and dolly but the bag itself is retained in a different manner from the present invention and the bag is like a laundry bag as opposed to the shopping bag.
The Server Perez Design Patent protects the shape of the object and the way it looks. It issued in 1994 and has expired. It discloses a shopping cart with a triangular shaped retaining member for retaining objects.
The cart has an elongated frame having upper and lower sections which are pivotally coupled together. The frame is adjustable between a deployed position where the upper and lower frame sections are substantially aligned longitudinally and a collapsed position where the upper and lower frame sections are folded together. A pair of wheels are pivotally coupled to the lower section of the frame which fold together when the frame is collapsed. A support arm for suspending a load is pivotally coupled to the frame upper section and is moveable between a horizontal, load-supporting position and a folded position extending alongside the frame. The shopping bags are suspended from a plurality of hooks mounted on the support arm.”
It holds a multiplicity of shopping bags but they are each individually tied and do not have pockets and there is no base in which to support the weight of the bags so if the bags are weighted too heavily, they can break unless they are made out of very strong material.
The DeCoster Patent discloses a shopping bag. Specifically, the patent discloses:                “A carrier pack including a shopping bag with a separate cooler bag strap-connected to and stacked with the shopping bag or, alternatively, received within the interior chamber of the shopping bag.”        
The Hook patent discloses a collapsible cart for transporting a plurality of hand held shopping bags.
The Lensing Patent discloses a foldable cart with automatic bag control. The patent discloses a portable, wheeled cart foldable between stowage and deployed positions automatically captivates and suspends trash bags. A generally U-shaped and inverted main frame extends from a top forming a handle to the lower cart wheels. A companion subframe of generally U-shaped profile is pivoted to the frame. Preferably a foldable platform is provided at the cart base for supporting the trash bag.
The Salzberger Published Patent Application discloses a shopping bag cart. Specifically, the patent application disclose a one time use shopping cart for quick assembly by sales clerks when a customer is unable to hand carry a purchase. Designed for the carrying-slings of today's bags the cart suspends a loaded grocery bag spread eagle from extensions projecting out from the shoulders of the cart's cross arms. A bag can be slung from the front and the back of each cross arm. The larger types of plastic and paper bags with carrying handles in common use can also be accommodated.
The Tompkins Patent discloses a wheeled shopping cart and it discloses a shopping tote including a vertical support structure having one or more hooks for suspending bags therefrom enables carrying of shopping bags and/or boxes in an easy and convenient manner. A platform may be provided for placing of boxed items. The tote may be quickly changed between a compact storage condition and an in-use condition. When in the storage condition, the tote is of a size allowing carrying thereof alone or in a backpack, briefcase or purse.
The Bruce Patent discloses a wheeled cart for transporting outdoor equipment. The patent discloses a rolling cart for transporting items commonly used at outdoor gatherings in a secure and convenient manner. The cart comprises a frame having two or more tires 20, an open-ended bag connected to the frame, and a strap that holds one or more items of equipment against the frame. The strap is positioned near the open end of the bag and is used to cinch equipment that extends outside the bag against the frame.
The Caldwell Patent discloses a convertible beach cart. Specifically, the patent discloses: A preferred embodiment includes a convertible hand truck with three main components: a hand truck body with dual use as a table, a load platform with dual use as an extended surface of the table, and a rack with dual use as support legs for the table.
The present inventor is also the inventor of the Lightweight High Load Capacity Folding Utility Cart With Unique Support Structure And. Ergonomic Handle protected by issued U.S. Pat. No. 8,439,374 issued on May 4, 2013.